BENDABLE SHAFT FOR HANDLE POSITIONING

• US 20110276083A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Morgan, Jerome R., Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Widenhouse, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US12/775,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00946 malleable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2908 Multiple segments connected by articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/291 the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3445 used as instrument channel for multiple instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3466 for simultaneous sealing of multiple instruments

Abstract

Devices and related methods are disclosed that generally involve elongate surgical instruments that include at least one bendable region to allow the instrument to be bent for improved triangulation, visualization, comfort, and/or maneuverability. In one aspect, a surgical device is provided that includes an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, a handle coupled to the proximal end of the elongate body, and an end effector having movable jaws, the end effector being coupled to the distal end of the elongate body. The elongate body includes at least one non-resilient bendable region.

Claims

1. A surgical device, comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a handle coupled to the proximal end of the elongate body; and

an end effector having movable jaws, the end effector being coupled to the distal end of the elongate body;

wherein the elongate body includes at least one non-resilient bendable region.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the end effector is coupled to the distal end of the elongate body at an articulation joint.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one bendable region is located proximal of the articulation joint.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one bendable region comprises a first bendable region positioned adjacent to the proximal end of the elongate body.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one bendable region further comprises a second bendable region positioned adjacent to the distal end of the elongate body.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the handle can be positioned at an angle of up to 45 degrees in any direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body by bending the at least one bendable region.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an actuation member extending through the elongate body and configured to open and close the jaws.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the actuation member is selected from the group consisting of a wire and a bar having a rectangular cross section.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the actuation member comprises a first rectangular bar, a wire, and a second rectangular bar, the first rectangular bar being coupled to the end effector and to a first end of the wire, and the second rectangular bar being coupled to the handle and to a second, opposite end of the wire, the wire being disposed within the bendable region of the elongate body.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the actuation member includes a relief to permit translation of the actuation member with respect to the elongate body while the elongate body is bent at the bendable region.

11. The device of claim 7, further comprising a spring disposed between the actuation member and a trigger element mounted on the handle, the trigger element being configured to longitudinally translate the actuation member with respect to the elongate body.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a first section that is formed of a substantially rigid material and a second section that is formed of a deformable material, the second section forming the at least one bendable region.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the deformable material comprises fully annealed aluminum.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the bendable region comprises a length of the elongate body having a reduced cross-sectional diameter.

15. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis;

a handle coupled to the proximal end of the elongate body;

an actuation element disposed within the elongate body, the actuation element being configured to translate substantially along the longitudinal axis of the elongate body; and

at least one bendable region configured to allow the handle to be positioned at a non-zero angle with respect to the elongate body while the distal end of the elongate body is inserted in a body cavity.

16. A method for manipulating instruments, comprising:

inserting first and second elongate instruments through at least one working channel of an access device to position distal ends of the first and second instruments within a body cavity; and

bending at least one of the first and second instruments at a non-resilient bendable region located outside of the body cavity to move a proximal end of the first instrument away from a proximal end of the second instrument.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one instrument is bent prior to insertion through the at least one working channel.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising using a tool to bend the at least one instrument in a controlled manner, the tool being keyed to a shape of the bendable region of the instrument.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising longitudinally translating an actuation element disposed within the at least one instrument while the at least one instrument is bent.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one instrument includes a plurality of non-resilient bendable regions and further comprising forming multiple bends in the at least one instrument.

21. A method for manipulating an instrument, comprising:

inserting an elongate instrument through a working channel of an access device to position a distal end of the instrument within a body cavity; and

engaging a portion of the instrument disposed within the body cavity with a bending tool to bend the instrument at a non-resilient bendable region.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising articulating the distal end of the instrument about an articulation joint after bending the instrument at the bendable region.